As a Level Eight telepath, I am the best police interrogator in the department. But I’m not a cop - I never will be - and my only friend on the force, Homicide Detective Isabella Cherabino, is avoiding me because of a telepathic link I created by accident. And I might not even be an interrogator for much longer. Our boss says unless I pull out a miracle, I’ll be gone before Christmas. I need this job, damn it. It’s the only thing keeping me sane.

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Publisher's Summary

History has a way of repeating itself, even for telepaths....

As a Level Eight telepath, I am the best police interrogator in the department. But I’m not a cop - I never will be - and my only friend on the force, Homicide Detective Isabella Cherabino, is avoiding me because of a telepathic link I created by accident.

And I might not even be an interrogator for much longer. Our boss says unless I pull out a miracle, I’ll be gone before Christmas. I need this job, damn it. It’s the only thing keeping me sane.

Parts for illegal Tech - the same parts used to bring the world to its knees in the Tech Wars 60 years ago - are being hijacked all over the city. Plus Cherbino's longtime nemesis, a cop killer, has resurfaced with a vengeance. If I can stay alive long enough, I just might be able to prove my worth, once and for all....

The narrator has one of the most pleasant voices I've heard yet in an audio book. The story is unique, something seldom seen these days in sci-fi-fantasy books. I loved every minute of these two novels by Alex Hughes and I can't wait for more.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Adam, the main character is a flawed, guilt ridden individual who is desperately trying to stay on the right path but life gets too much for him and he decides to go astray. However, fate seems to have other plans for him and he just keeps putting one foot in front of the other. His demons do come back to haunt him from time to time though.

Which character – as performed by Daniel May – was your favorite?

Adam of course.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Schwartz is in the hospital and Adam realizes how important this man is to his survival, and his sanity.

I really loved the flow of the story and the story line itself. I also loved the the main characters and loved hating most of the bad guys and even some of the supposedly good ones.

What other book might you compare Sharp to and why?

I think the series is a contender for challenger to Jim Butcher's Dresden files. Different enough not to feel like a copy and keep you interested and on the edge of your chair the entire time.

What does Daniel May bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He's probably the main reason why I compare this series to the Dresden Files. He has the same vocal style; a smooth baritone soothing yet varied. The voices are believable.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I not only listened to this book in one sitting more or less but I did so immediately following Clean. What a mind trip!

Any additional comments?

I had to read Marked on kindle and was very disappointed that it was not available on audible. I guess that gives me two things to await with bated breath; the audible version of Marked and the next book book in the series. Thanks Mr. Hughes

The first of the series wasn't bad. It was a new take on some old themes and can hold your interest even if somethings remain vague and unclear. This second book is maddening. Not only are there no further explanations of life in the future but he main character is a whining, repetitive jerk. How do we have flying cars with limited satellites but still use regular bullets and guns? This is where this series ends for me.

This is the second book of the series. The storyline is okay, but you will have to reach the end before there is really much suspense. We are also forced to spend a bit too much time stuck in the main character's head as he wallows in guilt and self loathing. I'm going to try one more book. If the main character get's punched in the face by the woman he loves repeatedly in the next one, I'm done.

This book should be revised! It has potential to be good but the weird violence and repetitive physical abuse from the female protagonist toward the male protagonist greatly detracts from overall story.

What do you think your next listen will be?

I will not be reading another Alex Hughes story. Too many really good books out there to waste time on an author who clearly has domestic violence issues.

listened to Alex Hughes' "Clean: A Mindspace Investigation Novel, Book 1” (2012) last year. I was looking for a light, fun listen after a summer listening to serious non-fiction. "Clean" was on sale, and I didn't look too closely at the description. I thought I was getting a modern police procedural, but I stumbled into a Sci-Fi Investigator novel, melded with addiction fiction. It wasn't the book cotton candy I thought I was getting, but I enjoyed it.

"Addiction fiction" is the name of a genre I've read or listened to occasionally without knowing it was a category on its own. I read James Frey's supposedly-true "A Million Little Pieces" (2003) before the word was out that Frey's book was fiction. I was angry that my time had been wasted, but not so mad that I didn't read his 2008 "Bright Shining Morning." Stephen King's "Doctor Sleep," the 2013 sequel to King's 1977 "The Shining" is on the top 10 lists of addiction fiction.

King, Frey, and Alex Hughes all write with the agonized longing and exquisite need of addicts "in recovery." Well, that's the sanitized name for what it is. An addict who has given up his or her substance of choice is ever aware that the drug is always just outside the door waiting, sometimes patiently, sometimes pounding on the door to be let back in. It's a stalker waiting for that moment of unguarded vulnerability to take control of your life again. I feel that way about cigarettes, which remains (for a while longer, at least) a legal addiction.

"Sharp: A Mindspace Investigations Book #2" (2013) is an apt title for the need, and a counterpoint to police civilian technician Adam's mental state at the beginning. He's anything but sharp. His near top-rated telepathic abilities have disappeared, perhaps forever. He's reduced to close observation of body language to tell when someone's lying, and a telepath's reputation to scare criminals into confessions. Adam's wondering if he's lost what makes him who he is when two women from his past, lives ruined, reappear.

It's a good listen, but it doesn't fit easily into any one genre. It's definitely addiction fiction, but the drugs don't rise quite to the level of becoming a character in the novel. It's urban Sci-Fi and dystopian fantasy, set on top of a mystery following conventional mystery rules. There's enough in the plot for a reader/listener to solve the mystery eventually - bug enough false leads, blind turns and dead ends to make the solve fun. And the supporting characters - particularly Adam's love interest - Hughes is starling to give her dimensions that make her interesting, not the stock character she was in "Clean."

The main character is a little weak, though he has depth and is believable.Overall entertaining, just not my favorite. I'll probably listen to the entire series, unless they really take a bad turn. Great narration.

Would you be willing to try another book from Alex Hughes? Why or why not?

Yes, I'm eagerly waiting for the third book to be published in audiobook! I'm more used to read epic fantasy and space opera, so this kind of SF with detective and paranormals isn't my first choice but Daniel May made it possible to stick with the story and live it from the inside. There are some carelessness in the writing (too many repeated words) but I like the way she paints this damaged world with small touches and I like what she makes of Adam, his strength with telepathy, his addiction, his will to make amend and his damned pride!

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